January 1, 2023
Today is the first day of the year. The reason we celebrate the start of the year on January 1, has to do with a choice made in ancient Rome. January is named for the Roman god Janus. He was perceived as the god of beginnings. He is often depicted with two faces, one looking to the past and the other looking to the future. The Romans felt the month celebrating Janus made a good choice to start the year.
Janus depicted with two faces. One faces the past while the other faces the future. This Statue representing Janus Bifrons can be found at the Vatican Museum in Rome. Image credit: Loudon Dodd.